From: Inaki Berenguer 

Date: April 22, 2011 5:34:22 PM EDT

To: Scott Kirsner 

Cc: Inaki Berenguer

Subject: Re: 

Scott,

...Overall NYC has been great and we're really enjoying it here. I've broken down my answers more for you below, though. I tried to go into detail but would be happy to chat if you have any additional questions.

>How has it turned out for you guys in NYC?

Right after we moved here there was an explosion of consumer internet startups in NYC. It was coincidental and also fortunate. We have benefited from this: more investors are looking at NY, developers see less of a risk to move to NY (because they know there are other opportunities if something goes wrong), press coverage attached to being an NYC start-up, and more networking events. We were also lucky enough to be accepted into the premier incubator of NYC, which is backed by both NYU and Bloomberg, so we received and continue to receive a lot of support from the city.

Another fun anecdote is that Sony Music contacted us for a potential partnership soon after we moved here. Being in close proximity to media companies, and having the ability to meet each other with an afternoon's notice, certainly provides unique opportunities.

>How would you compare the start-up scene/energy to Boston's? 

I think that overall there are more startups in Boston, but only if you combine energy, cleantech, hardware, material sciences, B2B internet, enterprise software, biotech and consumer internet. But if you only consider consumer Internet, I think that NYC is currently more vibrant. Consumer Internet is about providing "experiences", trends, marketing, and design. That is the kind of young talent that you can find in NY.

On the other hand, in Boston I felt that it was easier to get to know people from the entrepreneurial community. In NY, it is much more spread. You know people in the ecosystem but you don't see them as often as you would do in Boston.

>Are you glad you made the move?

Professionally, I don't know whether it made much of a difference. While there seems to be more big-name companies and investors in Boston, most Boston investors still have a strong presence in NY. 

Personally, I am glad.  I think that for young talent without a family, NY has a lot to offer. You can work hard during the week and play even harder on weekend...not that I do, though :-). There are three main benefits:

a) It is easy to make casual friends. 

Groups of friends are very open, because New York is a transient city and people come and go. While keeping one established group of very close friends like I had in Boston or back in Spain can be difficult, you do get to know a lot of "acquaintances". These acquaintances are all friendly enough to invite you to plenty of events: dinners, housewarming parties, farewell parties, birthdays, etc. On any single night, there are plenty of options of socializing, which I'm fortunate, especially comparing this to Silicon Vallery where I hear it is difficult place to meet new people (not to mention to find a boyfriend/girlfriend)

b) There is always something to do.

Parties, cultural events (rock concerts, city run events in the parks, theatre plays... I love opera), sports (from pick-up games to running along the river or in Central Park), and not to mention all the friends that visit.. everyone loves visiting New York and there are always old friends stopping through.

c) The people you meet are both very diverse and interesting.

It is not unlikely to have dinner with a group of 8 people where you have writers, bankers, entrepreneurs, musician, lawyers, and dancers around the table. That diversity of disciplines, countries of origins and backgrounds makes it special. 

I guess that after a long time, living in NY could be tiring and not many people settle here. But startups horizons are around 4 or 5 years, so NY is a great place to join startups.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Cheers,

inaki

Thanks!

Here's one question for you..... did cost of living, tax rate, traffic, or business-friendliness have anything to do with how you chose a place to locate?

Scott